Present invention relates to a camera control apparatus, and more particularly, to a camera control apparatus for controlling an image sensing direction (panning/tilting) and a zooming ratio of a plurality of cameras.
Conventionally, to remotely operate a video camera whose image sensing directions (panning and tilting) and image sensing magnification ratio (zooming) are externally controllable, means such as operation lever which is rotatable along two axles, or push buttons, or buttons displayed on an image display screen modeling after such lever or push buttons or the like are available. By utilizing such means, for instance, a camera rotation angle or angle velocity is changed in accordance with the operation of the lever, or camera rotation is realized or a zooming ratio is changed while the button is depressed. As a matter of course, absolute or relative angles of panning/tilting and a zooming ratio may be designated by directly inputting a value.
In a case where a plurality of cameras are to be controlled by such camera control apparatus, camera operation means may be provided for each of the plurality of cameras, or combination of camera selection means for selecting a control-subject camera and camera operation means for operating the selected camera may be provided. When a large number of cameras are to be controlled, the latter arrangement is more advantageous with respect to cost.
In remote control operation, a camera is operated by viewing an image sensed by the camera in a monitor screen. In the conventional apparatus, no other information besides the image sensed by the subject camera (the camera subjected to remote operation, or the camera whose sensed image is to be viewed) is displayed on the monitor screen. Therefore, for instance, if an operator wishes to direct a camera to an image outside a present image-sensing range of the subject camera, the operator must perform operation through trial and error to find the image of interest.
Although the image-sensible range of a camera is limited, in most cases, an operator is not informed of the image-sensible range of operating cameras. Even if the operator is informed of the image-sensible range of the cameras, such information is indicated by values only e.g., angles of the camera or the like, thus the operator cannot easily confirm the image-sensible range on a monitor screen which performs remote control operation. In addition, the operator cannot easily confirm the present direction of the camera within the image-sensible range.
Furthermore, in the case where a plurality of cameras are to be remotely operated, an appropriate camera must be first selected in accordance with an operator""s target position. Therefore, it is necessary to display information with respect to an image-sensing range of each camera in a user-friendly manner. Particularly in a case where a moving subject is to be sensed by a plurality of video cameras arranged in juxtaposition so that an image-sensing view is continuous, an operator must switch cameras to obtain a camera to be remote-controlled or whose image is to be displayed each time the subject image moves, and perform necessary control operation. Since such operation is quite complicated, there has been a demand for easier operation method.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide a camera control apparatus which solves the above problem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camera control apparatus which enables easy camera switching and easy camera operation of a plurality of video cameras arranged in juxtaposition.
According to the present invention, a combined image-sensible range of a plurality of cameras is displayed in a monitor screen, and an area of an image-sensing range of a currently-selected camera which is located within the combined image-sensible range is displayed in the position and the size corresponding to the image-sensing direction and image-sensing magnification of the currently-selected camera. In the image-sensing range of the selected camera, an image sensed by the selected camera is displayed continuously. Accordingly, an operator is able to confirm the image-sensing range of the selected camera within the entire image-sensible range of the plurality of cameras. Also, an operator is able to perform control operation of a plurality of cameras as if he/she is operating only one camera.
Also, in a case where image sensing is performed by switching a plurality of cameras, following a subject moving from one camera""s image-sensible range to another camera""s image-sensible range, an operator is able to switch cameras by operating the image-sensing range displayed by image-sensing-range display means. Accordingly, camera-switch operation becomes easy.